Improvement in gas generators and carbureters



i BSAmets--Sheej1I )OHN H. STElNER.

I-mprovement in Gas-Generators and Carbureters.

Patenied May 14,1872` SSheetsMSheeZ JOHN H. STEINER.

Improvement `in Gas-Generators and Carbureters.

N0. 126,652. Patented May'l4,1872.

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A, /w/ULA V @la l 3 Sheets--Sheet 3. JOHN H. `STEIIER.

Improvement in Gas-Generators and C arbureters.

, vPm mean/la M1872. 910,126,652. e y l l F l: j] l 'f l y .f1/1 v ern JOHN H. STEINER, OF OIN'OINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT lN-GAS GEONERATORS AND CARBURETERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.126,652, dated May 14, 1872.

YTo all whom 'it may concern:

y Be it known that I, JOHN H. S'rnnvnn, of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and the State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinesfor Gene rating and Garbureting Hydrogen Gas, of

which the following is a specilication:

y The nature of my invention :relates to cer-v tain improvements upon the patent granted to me the 9th day of April, 1872, for improvement in hydrogen-gas generators, No. 125,496; and it consists in a new and improved construction of the gas-generators whereby the dilute acid can be suddenly brought and retained in contact with a more extended surface of the metallic scraps thanheretofore,

and whereby the expense of constructing the machines will be considerably reduced without materially increasing the size of the apparatus. rlhis I accomplish by forming the generators of a rectangular box or chamber, divided into two or more compartments by longitudinal partitions. My invention further consists in the construction and ar- 4 able on account of their liability to become fast by the action of the acid upon the metal ot which they are composed. My invention also consists in the combination of suitable automatic valves with the pipes leading from the generators to the carburetor, so as to prevent any escape of the gasoline into the generators while filling the carburetor, or from any sudden expansion of the gas or vapor -within the same; ,and my invention further consists in a new and improved construction of the scrap-boxes, which consist of rectangular open troughs, perforated at their bottoms and sides, so that they may be charged without wholly removing them from thevgenerating-chambers, and also that they may be convenientl y washed while charged, and so that two or more may be employed in one generating-chamber without occupying too much space, inorder to divide the charge and render the handling more convenient; and, lastly, in the combination of a removable perforated false bottom with said boxes and the generators.

In the drawing, Figure 1 represents a front view of my apparatus, with the cap of one of the generating-compartments removed; Fig. 2, a backview of the same, with the back of the reservoir removed Fig. 3, a longitudinal section of my apparatus; and Fig. 4, a longitudinal section of one of the generating-compartments and scrap-box.

A represents the reservoir for the dilute acid, within which isl a carbureting-chamber, B, located at or near the center of said reservoir,

and extending nearly from en d to end of the same. Within said carburetor is secured, a

perforated tube, b, extending from end to end` tain the highly volatile dstillates of petro-I leum, such as gasoline, Ste. The gas generated in the chambers below enters at one end of the tube b, and passes out through the perforations into and through the hydrocarbon oil, becoming highly carbureted. The object of the shelf b1 is to more thoroughly distribute the gas. The space around thetubeb may be filled with curled hair or its equivalent, in order to increase the surface exposed to the gas to be carbureted. C represents a rectangular box or chamber, divided by 011e or more longitudinal partitions, c, into two or more separate compartments, cl c. Each compartment communicates with the reservoir by means ot' a tube or pipe, Gr, leading from the bottom of the reservoir into the bottoms of the generating-chambers. To the end of each pipe within the reservoir is adapted a valve, g, secured to a valve-rod extending through the top of the reservoir, through an aperture provided with a screw-thread, the valve-rod having corresponding screw-threads which engage those in the aperture. The ends of these rods are provided with suitable levers or wheels, by means ot' which the valves may be operated to open or close the ends of the tubes. stead of having the valves at the ends of said tubes in the reservoir, a screw-rod may be arranged to pass through the tops of the generators so as to bear against the automatic rrr-cn;

them in contact with said ends, whereby the same object will be accomplished. The automatic valves at the ends of the tubes within the generators, when the valve-rods are drawn away from them, will rise to admit the acidwater, and fall and close the passage upon any back pressure within the generators. H H represent pipes, extending from the generating-chambers c c into the center of the front end of the carbureter, where they terminate within the perforated tube b. At the ends of said pipes, within the carbureter, are secured the automatic valves b2, which rise and open the pipes as the gas lows in, but fall and close them in the event of any back pressure, and thus prevent the escape of any gasoline into the generating-chambers. I I are pipes, extending from the bottom of the generating-chambers at their rear, up through the back portion of the reservoir into the same, where they terminate above the highest level to which the dilute acid can rise. From these pipes the branch pipes t z' extend through the back of the reservoir, said pipes being provided with stop-cocks t" i'. These pipes serve to return the weakened or spent acid-water to the reservoir, or to discharge it from the apparatus entirely through the branch pipes, as may be desired. This is accomplished, automatically, by the pressure of the gas within the generators. K K represent the scrap-metal boxes, which consist of perforated rectangular troughs, which rest upon removable perforated false bottoms K in the generatingchambers. Each generating-chamber c' may be provided with one of these boxes, of suitable size to contain a full charge; but I prefer to use two or more smaller boxes, placed side by side in each chamber, in order to divide the charge and render it more easy to be y,.handled. At the front end of each chamber is a suitable opening for the admission of said boxes, said chambers being provided with suitable caps, by means of which the chambers may be securely closed. L is an inlet for lling the reservoir A, provided with a suitable cap having a small aperture through it for the admission of air. M is a pipe for filling the carbureter B, also provided with a cap; and N, the service-pipe for conveying the gas to the burners. O is a stop-cock at the lower part of the reservoir, for emptying it of its contents. A

The operation of my apparatus will be readily understood. After being properly filled and charged, upon opening the valves the acid-water will flow from the reservoir into the generators, and coming into contact with the extended surface of metallic scrap in the boxes, will ilnmediately commence to generate large quantities of hydrogen gas, which will pass over through the pipes H H into the carbureter B, and from thence to the burners.

It will be seen that, as the dilute acid rises in the generating-chambers it will meet with a larger quantity of metal, and the generation of the gas will be increased, thus increasing the pressure in the machine and stopping the iow of dilute acid into the generators until the pressure is removed by the gas escaping at the burners. 1f too much acid-water is suddenly admitted, the pressure of the accumulated gas will force it through the pipes I I, at the rear, back into the reservoir, thus rendering the action ofthe machine automatic. As the acid in the generator becomes weakened the pressure will be diminished, and fresh acid-water will be admitted automatically through the pipe G, and when it is too far gone for further use, the acid solution can be entirely' discharged from any one or all of the generators by opening the cocks t" t" in their respective pipes II, and temporarily stopping communication between the reservoir and the carbureter. v

The generators can be used together or alternately, as desired, in the same manner as in my former patent, to which I have referred.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The rectangular box C, divided by one or more partitions, c c, into two or more generating-chambers, c c', substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of the pipes G G and valves g g, with the valve-stems passing out by a screw connection through the cylinder A.

3. In combination with the carbureter and the pipe or pipes for introducing gas into the same, I claim the automatic valve b2, (one or more,) substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. v,In combination with vthe rectangular generating-chambers (or either of them) with removable perforated false bottoms, I claim the rectangular, open, perforated troughs or boxes for holding scrap metal, substantially as herein described.

JOHN H. STEINER.

Witnesses:

DANIEL E. RYAN, D. M. MARTIN. 

